The Right Move (Windy City, #2)

by Liz Tomforde

I’m not easily distracted, but if I could manifest my perfect distraction, it’d look a lot like her.

She’s clearly going through shit—shit I find myself having a weak spot for and I can’t toss her out on the street. I’m not that kind of guy as much as I’d love to be at this moment. A loud thud hits the back of my door. A shoe perhaps. “My name is not Indiana!” Yeah, I’d really love to be that guy right about now.

When did I say that? I’m a romance reader. I have a thing for assholes.

“We aren’t into bras?” “We? I personally don’t love wearing one with my pajamas, but you do you.” I hold my hands up in surrender. “Judgment free zone.”

“Ever hear the phrase ‘she’s not like other girls’?” He gives a small nod of his head. “Yeah, that’s not me. I’m just like every other chick. As basic as they come. I had an Uggs phase. I had a skinny jeans phase. I like my books with romance, my coffee with more creamer than caffeine, and I even take aesthetic pictures of my food anytime I’m at a restaurant.”

casually pop my shoulders. “No point. Just trying to get to know you. What’s your favorite color?” “Black.” “I kind of thought robots would be more into silver.” He offers me a fake smile. “Cute.”

“You’re pretty…bold for someone who just got here yesterday and still hasn’t signed a lease. And you ask a lot of questions.” “You think I’m pretty?” “You heard the first two words and tuned out the rest, huh?” He raises an eyebrow, unimpressed.

It’s decided. I’m going to bring some color into Ryan Shay’s life if it’s the last thing I do.

“You’re the biggest pain in my ass and the reason I’m balding. My wife is pissed at you for pulling me out of bed last night.”

“Stop looking at her,” I warn. “Go hit the showers or get to the airport or just about anything other than look at her. She’s not available.” “So, you are hitting that.” Dom nods in approval. “No, I’m not hitting that. And neither are any of you. Stop looking at her or she’ll be the last thing you ever fucking see.” “Ooooh. Protective Shay is here, and his sister is nowhere to be found. Someone write this date down. History is being made, people. Ryan Shay gives a fuck about someone other than Stevie and something other than basketball.”

Indy laughs. “And you call me emotional and dramatic.” “I’ve never once called you dramatic.” “I know.” She pops her shoulder. “I added that in because I wanted a reason to call you dramatic. Which you are. Go take that robotic personality of yours and set him straight.”

“Do you want me to get on my knees and beg or something?” “Now that you say it.” She cocks her head to the side, eyes roaming my length. “I wouldn’t mind knowing what you look like on your knees, Shay.” “Indy, please.” “This is ridiculous. We can talk about it when you get home.” “Perfect. Great. All I’m asking for is one night.” “Go get me your key so I can go crash in my new expensive bed.” “What an amazing guy to buy you a bed. Probably makes you want to return a favor. He seems like a wonderful person.” Indy rolls her eyes. “He’s on my shit list at the moment.”

She sighs dramatically. “That’s what they all say.” “So it’s settled then. You’re my fake girlfriend.” “Not so fast. If I’m going to even consider taking you to this wedding, I’m going to need to turn you into one of my book boyfriends first.” That earns a raised brow. “Oh, come on. If we’re going to be acting, we may as well go all in. Do you know how to flare your nostrils in anger?” My breakfast almost comes back up. “What?” “If you see me across the room, talking to another man, I need you to stare intently then flare your nostrils. Or grind your molars together and tic your jaw.” “Blue—” “Do you know how to growl?” “What?” “Yeah, I don’t really know what that’s supposed to sound like, but every one of my book boyfriends is big into growling. Oh! And can you darken your eyes?” “Darken my eyes?” “Yeah. When you pretend to get angry or act really turned on, can you darken your eyes?” “No, I can’t fucking darken my eyes. What the hell are you reading?” “Don’t hate on my books. You could learn a thing or two from them. And they’re much more entertaining than your shelves of masochism.”

I hand it over after titling it and finally, a soft smile spreads across my roommate’s mouth. “Indy-pendent Woman 101.” She raises a questioning brow. “You know how much I love my self-help books.”

I have a strong suspicion that showcasing jealousy won’t be the issue—keeping it under wraps will be.

When he knows from the start

Clearly Ryan doesn’t know me very well yet because I have an outfit for every possible life event. Wedding guest? Check. Funeral? Check. Formal fundraiser with Chicago’s pro teams? Check. An afternoon spent at a bookstore where I’m casually browsing the shelves, appearing effortless and academic. When all the sudden, a handsome man down the aisle makes eye contact, shyly smiles, then holds up the same book that’s in my hands. Specific, but yes, I have an outfit for that too.

“You did a good job on your makeup.” Her head snaps up, brows creased in confusion. I motion towards my own face. “Your makeup. It looks pretty on you.” “That’s a weird thing to say.” “Why?” “Because you’re supposed to say you like me natural or something to that extent. That’s the typical opinion of the male species.” “Well, what can I say? I’m not like other guys.” She catches onto the mocking tone of the cliché phrase as she rolls her eyes and releases a subtle laugh. “You’re funny sometimes, Shay.” “Do you like your makeup? Did you spend time on it?” She keeps her stare on my tie and not on me. “Yes.” “Exactly. So, I think you should know you did a good job on it.”

The perfect man doesn’t exist—

I want her here. I want her to want to be here. Fuck, when did that happen?

“Ryan, my guy, you’re so completely fucked, and you can’t even see it.”

“Half of my income though…” I continue. “I donate to charity.” “Really? Where to?” “Well, currently I’m housing this flight attendant who is terrible at cleaning up after herself. Total charity case. Tragic story, really.”

I love him

“I donate to Zee’s foundation, Active Minds, but my main focus is Chicago’s public school system. Making sure kids have the textbooks they need for class and food for lunch. And part of my shoe deal is that every year my sponsor has to match my donation in gifting said shoe to kids who need something to wear in order to be active. But there’s so much more that needs to be done. It feels overwhelming.”

David is a good man with a big family. He’s also discreet and I appreciate him more than he probably realizes. He’s been a constant in my life since I moved to Chicago, so last year when he told me his granddaughter had to stop her piano lessons because their family could no longer afford it, I found a scholarship foundation to support her and pay her way for as long as she wants to keep playing. He doesn’t know that said scholarship is simply my personal bank account, but the details aren’t important.

As much as I tease her, I’ve found her crying, laughing, or even crossing her legs during certain scenes, and it’s beyond endearing that the love between fictional characters can bring her so much joy.

HE GETS IT

Because trust me, after the night I pinned her to the wall and made her come, there’s no way in hell another man is going near her without me losing my goddamn mind. Or going to prison. She thinks she’s broken. Broken. As if her ex-boyfriend wasn’t already the first name on my shit list, the fact that he made this woman think she’s anything less than perfection personified has me close to seeking him out and destroying his life by any means possible.

God he’s beautiful

A content laugh rumbles in my chest. “There’s my girl.”

A firm chest is molded to me now as his thumb traces the thrumming pulse point in my neck. “Did I buy this dress?” I nod. His throat releases a gravelly noise in satisfaction.

He has a “spend my money” kink for this girl fr

His palm slides down my back, cupping my ass, and pulling my hips into his where I’m met with a bulge hitting just above the apex of my thighs. “Does this feel fake to you?” My breath catches. “Jealousy turns you on?” “Nah. No need to be jealous when I know what’s mine. I’m the one you’re going home with.”

HOT DAMN

He helps me put my coat back on, delicately pulling my hair from the collar. Eyeing the heels in his hand, we silently and mutually agree that there’s no way in hell they’re going back on.

“Do you have any pickup lines?” I quietly ask Ryan for no one else to hear. He shakes his head. “Nah. I’d rather pin you down than pick you up.”

“Ry.” I stop him at his door. He looks back to me, eyes desperate and begging. “Will you help me?” His head falls back, exhaling a sigh of relief. “Fucking finally.”

“What’s your thing, Ind, huh? Do you like to be called names in bed? Do you like to be talked down to?” She lets out a tiny moan, but I think it has more to do with the pull of her nipple between my teeth and the flick of our fingers coasting over her clit, and less to do with what I said. Because I know this girl and there’s not a world in which she wants to be called a degrading name. She likes to be told she’s lovely and smart. “No, that’s not it. My little valedictorian likes to be praised, doesn’t she?”

“Clever girl like you, you want to hear how good you’re doing. How perfect you are. How well you’re taking it.”

“Well, Blue, you’re doing so fucking good. Do you feel us touching your pretty clit? Do you feel how swollen we’re making you? How wet you are? So good, baby.”

“There it is. Good girl, Blue. You’re doing so fucking good.”

And I think I’d like to give the real me to Ryan if he wants it. I think he’d treat my heart with kindness.

He’d treat you like the princess you are, babe

“So, are we done with the whole bullshit conversation about you moving out?” Ocean eyes drop to my mouth. “But I spend a lot of your money.” “Someone needs to.” “And I’m messy. You don’t like messy.” “I like your mess.” “And I’m needy. I have no idea how to be alone.” “Good. I don’t want you to be alone. I want you to be with me.” His eyes fall to my throat, watching it work its way through a swallow. “Come home with me, Blue.” Apparently, half a second is too long to hesitate because Ryan continues. “And let me make this perfectly clear, even if you say no, I will throw you over my shoulder and take you with me. But I’m working with a knee injury here and would rather you come on your own free will.”

“Indy, to make this clear, I don’t want a single daily update tomorrow!” Stevie announces from the couch. “I’ll text you in the morning with details!” “I’m getting a new number.” “Aren’t we the cutest family foursome you’ve ever seen?” Zanders pitches in.

His chest moves in relief as if seeing me in his house and on his bed has brought him peace. “Right where you belong.” His gaze scans the length of me.

convenience. You know, because I live here.” Call me insecure, but I spent far too long in a relationship that was convenient and comfortable, and I refuse to do it again. Eyes searching, they soften as he watches me. “I mean this in the nicest way possible, but Blue, you’re the most inconvenient thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“If I was looking for convenience, I wouldn’t have gone years without touching a woman. Waking up and thinking of you, falling asleep and wishing you were there, it’s been distracting, tiresome, and goddamn infuriating, but I wouldn’t give you up for the world.”

“You have no idea, Indy.” Another worshiping kiss on my covered stomach. “The power you have over me.”

“All I can think about is seeing you smile and trying to be the reason you are.” This time his warm mouth meets the soft flesh above my panties. “Trying to water those goddamn flowers just enough so I can watch your face light up when you get home.” He bites the edge of my thong, snapping it against my skin. “Making you come just to hear my name dripping from that smart mouth of yours.”

“What if I told you that every morning we had breakfast together, I thought about throwing you on the kitchen island and making a meal out of you instead? Or that every time you wore one of your pretty dresses, I was dreaming about lifting the hem over my head, falling to my knees, and tasting my roommate’s perfect little cunt.”

“Please make me come.” “So polite tonight, baby.”

“I’m sorry someone let you believe you were hard to love, because, Blue, it’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done.” I shake my head. “God, I love you. I think in a way, I’ve loved you since our first breakfast together. You brought me back to life, Ind, and I will love you as long as you’ll let me.”

“Unfortunately, Indy’s old friends are your friends. You’ll be around, I get that. But if you ever, and I mean ever make her cry again, I will do everything in my power to make your life a living hell. My face will pop up everywhere you go. You will see me in your goddamn nightmares. I will make myself a daily reminder that you fumbled the best thing you’ll ever have in your fucking life. Got it?”

me. “Says the guy who camped outside of my place of work to talk to a girl who wants nothing to do with him. But let me make this clear, when it comes to her, I have no issue ruining my reputation. I will burn the world down to protect her and I’ll proudly wave the match, so everyone knows I’m the one who did it.”

“You know that jersey you’ve got with my last name on it? When you see it hanging there in your closet, let it serve as a reminder to you, that soon enough, it’ll be her last name too.”

“As long as you take care of me.” His warm lips meet the soft flesh under my ear. “I’ll always take care of you.” And though we’re speaking in sexual terms here, it’s not lost on me that Ryan will always take care of and protect me, the same way I will him.

“I’ll give you everything you want, but you’re going to have to use that talented mouth of yours and ask for it. I liked how polite you were the other night, so make sure you use your manners to say ‘please’ while you do.”